WASHINGTON, D.C. — Norm Dicks, who retired last year after 36 years in Congress, has taken a job at a Washington, D.C., law firm and lobbying shop.

The Bremerton Democrat represented the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.

Derek Kilmer, a Democrat from Gig Harbor, now represents the district.

Dicks is taking a job as senior policy counsel with Van Ness Feldman, a law firm and lobbying shop specializing in energy and environmental issues.

Dicks is the former chairman of the House Appropriations panel overseeing the Department of Interior.

‘Highly respected’

“Norm is highly respected for his wisdom, bipartisanship and legislative skills as a senior leader in Congress. His policy expertise will be a great resource to our clients as well as to his fellow attorneys at the firm,” said Rick Agnew, the firm’s chairman, in a statement.

Ethics rules prohibit Dicks from lobbying his former colleagues in the House of Representatives for one year after his retirement.

LaTasha Wortham, a Dicks aide who is also joining the firm, said, “Once he’s able to lobby members of Congress, that is likely.”

Dicks will split his time between the firm’s Washington, D.C., and Seattle offices.

Van Ness Feldman took in nearly $3 million in lobbying income last year from clients that included oil and gas companies, electric utilities, cities, mining and railroad interests, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.